20.10.13

London v Sheffield 1866

The Kentish Chronicle 14.04.66

The Football Association was concerned primarily with the unification of the codes of football and the promotion of their own rules. This agenda is illustrated by the exchanges with the Sheffield Football Club during the 1860s. Sheffield, as we have seen, had their own established set of rules but would compromise in order to play other clubs. In 1866 Mr Chesterman, Secretary of Sheffield FC, wrote to the FA requesting a game against one of the clubs affiliated to the Association. The FA interpreted this as a challenge to an FA Selection and therefore the match played on 31st March 1866 at Battersea Park was the first FA representative match. The FA XI (aka London) was drawn from 4 clubs:A. Pember (N.N.'s)The first president of the Football Association (1863-1867)Kinnaird(Wanderers)(Lord) Kinnaird went on to play in 9 FA Cup Finals (plus two replays), and was on the winning side 5 times.In 1873 he represented Scotland against England and was president og the FA (1890-1923).C. W. Alcock (Wanderers)

E.D. Elphinstone (Civil Service)D.M O'Leary (Barnes)J. A. Barnes (Barnes)- (in some sources J.K Barnes)A.J. Baker (N.N.'s) -Tebbut (N.N.'s)E.C Morley (Barnes)The Football Association's first secretary and second President.-Martin (Wanderers) R. W. Willis (Barnes) He was the second Secretary of the FA1866–1868, the man who accepted the challengeLondon won by 2 goals and four touchdowns to nil. Sheffield FC invited the Football Association to a return match in Sheffield, to be played under the Sheffield Rules.The FA however, in keeping with their object of unifying the codes, would only entertain playing under Association rules, and it was 5 years before another representative match took place.